Obesity in the United States has reached epidemic proportions, with 25 to 30 percent of our population medically classified as obese. The treatment of obesity-related illness costs America $93 billion each year. Approximately 147,000 people in Washington State between the ages of 18 and 64 have a body mass index of 40 or higher. Many of them have previously attempted multiple weight loss techniques, but obesity and its various health conditions continue to plague them. To help these people, Evergreen Healthcare created a bariatric surgery center offering a full array of pre- and post-operative services including testing, nutrition, and exercise counseling. Evergreen began initial marketing for the center and quickly realized a full-scale campaign was necessary to win patients and make the center self-sustaining in a competitive market. They asked PRR to help with this formidable task.

PRR began with a thorough research phase including a literature search, Evergreen brand audit, executive interviews, patient interviews, and a focus group of post-operative patients. We then created an integrated marketing plan that addressed the immediate and long-term needs required to strengthen the brand, financial goals, market potential, market barriers, target audience profiles, messaging, partnerships, and recommended strategies. For the implementation phase of the program, PRR assisted Evergreen with naming the bariatric center and creating a logo for the new business line. Our creative team developed a print brochure for patients, and created and placed a print/TV ad campaign designed to increase calls from prospective patients and drive them to informational seminars at Evergreen. Despite the sensitive nature of obesity, the dangers of bariatric surgery and the fact that Evergreen was in a period of transition during program planning and implementation, we exceeded all expectations. Phone inquiries increased an average of 1,993 percent, attendance at seminars climbed 500 percent, the number of brochures sent to interested patients rose 2,067 percent, physician referrals grew 785 percent, and we leveraged the media budget by 75 percent.